Reset Deassertion CDC: Review Checklist

Review checklist

Review Checklist for Reset Deassertion CDC focuses on reset release violations, metastability-on-release risk, boot instability. The goal is to convert issue observations into mechanism-backed closure decisions.

• Crossing and reset intent are explicitly classified.

• Protocol assumptions are documented and checked.

• Critical issues have owners and dates.

• Waivers include mechanism, containment, and expiry.

• Regression matrix includes stress and milestone modes.

• Owners signed: reset architect, CDC owner, RTL owner.

Signoff ownership

OWNERSHIP MAP — Reset Deassertion CDC

artifact                  owner
----------------------    -------------------------
design intent           reset architect
verification evidence   CDC owner
signoff decision        RTL owner

Every open CDC/RDC issue needs one accountable owner before waiver or fix.

CDC/RDC deep dive

Reset release ordering is a first-order reliability contract.

Concept diagram

RESET RELEASE FLOW

assert global -> clocks stable -> sync release per domain -> first transaction

Metric graph

BOOT STABILITY

passes per 1k boots: 920 -> 980 -> 999

Reports and artifacts

• reset dependency matrix

• RDC warning classes

• boot stress logs

• waiver aging

Mini case study

Domain B released before producer A was valid, causing rare startup deadlock.

Debug branches

• Correlate reset and clock timelines

• verify async assert/sync release

• exercise skewed release tests

Senior review question

Ask: what evidence proves this risk is closed for silicon, not just tool-clean?

Key takeaways

• State crossing class, assumptions, and owner with every issue.

• Run structural and dynamic regressions after each fix.

Common pitfalls

• Treating all warnings as equivalent risk.

• Waiving issues without containment evidence.

• Skipping reset and reconvergence stress after CDC fixes.

Principal CDC/RDC review addendum

Asynchronous assertion is usually safe, but reset deassertion must be synchronized per destination domain to prevent uncertain startup state capture.

Metric: reset release violations, metastability-on-release risk, boot instability